Managing a remote device

Abstract

An agent obtains data from a device by receiving a plug-in containing system calls for obtaining the data from the device, loading the plug-in into the agent, obtaining the data from the device using the system calls, and transmitting the data over an external network using one or more of a plurality of protocols. The data is provided to a client by formatting the data, and making the formatted data accessible to a client via the external network.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method, for use by an agent, of obtaining data from a device, the method comprising: 
 receiving a plug-in containing system calls for obtaining the data from the device;    loading the plug-in into the agent;    obtaining the data from the device using the system calls; and    transmitting the data over an external network using one or more of a plurality of protocols.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the agent includes shared libraries containing system calls for obtaining other data from the device; and    the method further comprises loading the shared libraries into the agent when the plug-in is loaded.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data is obtained from the device periodically.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the data is obtained every minute.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protocols comprises simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP), hyper text transfer protocol (HTTP), and secure sockets layer (SSL) protocol.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein data transmission is effected using at least one of a proxy and socket.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the agent resides on an internal network that includes the device; and    the method further comprises selecting a machine on the internal network to transmit the data over the external network.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the external network includes the Internet.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the agent resides on the device.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the agent resides on a machine located on the internal network that is not the device.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the device comprises a network device located on an internal network; and    the agent resides on a server that is also on the internal network.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data relates to one or more of the following: a processor on the device, memory on the device, a hard drive on the device, an internal network on which the device is located, and software installed on the device.  
     
     
         13 . A method of providing, to a client, data that was obtained by an agent from a remote device on an internal network, the method comprising: 
 receiving the data via an external network, at least some of the data being received periodically;    formatting the data; and    making the formatted data accessible to a client via the external network.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein formatting comprises generating a report based on the data.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the report comprises a natural language report.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein formatting comprises: 
 generating a display based on the data; and    updating the display periodically as new data is received periodically via the external network.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the data is received every minute.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein formatting comprises: 
 determining if the data indicates that an operational parameter of the device exceeds a preset limit; and    generating a report to a client indicating that the operational parameter exceeds the preset limit.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the external network includes the Internet.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein making the formatted data accessible to the client comprises providing a World Wide Web site through which the data can be accessed by the client.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the formatted data is made accessible to a wireless device using wireless application protocol.  
     
     
         22 . A computer program stored on a machine-readable medium, the computer program comprising an agent for obtaining data from a device, the computer program comprising instructions that cause a machine to: 
 receive a plug-in containing system calls for obtaining the data from the device;    load the plug-in into the agent;    obtain the data from the device using the system calls; and    transmit the data over an external network using one or more of a plurality of protocols.    
     
     
         23 . The computer program of  claim 22 , wherein: 
 the agent includes shared libraries containing system calls for obtaining other data from the device; and    the computer program further comprises instructions that cause the machine to load the shared libraries into the agent when the plug-in is loaded.    
     
     
         24 . The computer program of  claim 22 , wherein the data is obtained from the device periodically.  
     
     
         25 . The computer program of  claim 24 , wherein the data is obtained every minute.  
     
     
         26 . The computer program of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of protocols comprises simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP), hyper text transfer protocol (HTTP), and secure sockets layer (SSL) protocol.  
     
     
         27 . The computer program of  claim 22 , wherein data transmission is effected using at least one of a proxy and socket.  
     
     
         28 . The computer program of  claim 22 , wherein: 
 the agent resides on an internal network that includes the device; and    the computer program further comprises instructions that cause the machine to select another machine on the internal network to transmit the data over the external network.    
     
     
         29 . The computer program of  claim 28 , wherein the external network includes the Internet.  
     
     
         30 . The computer program of  claim 28 , wherein the agent resides on the device.  
     
     
         31 . The computer program of  claim 28 , wherein the agent resides on a machine located on the internal network that is not the device.  
     
     
         32 . The computer program of  claim 22 , wherein: 
 the device comprises a network device located on an internal network; and    the agent resides on a server that is also on the internal network.    
     
     
         33 . The computer program of  claim 22 , wherein the data relates to one or more of the following: a processor on the device, memory on the device, a hard drive on the device, an internal network on which the device is located, and software installed on the device.  
     
     
         34 . A computer program stored on a machine-readable medium for providing, to a client, data that was obtained by an agent from a remote device on an internal network, the computer program comprising instructions that cause the machine to: 
 receive the data via an external network, at least some of the data being received periodically;    format the data; and    make the formatted data accessible to a client via the external network.    
     
     
         35 . The computer program of  claim 34 , wherein formatting comprises generating a report based on the data.  
     
     
         36 . The computer program of  claim 35 , wherein the report comprises a natural language report.  
     
     
         37 . The computer program of  claim 34 , wherein formatting comprises: 
 generating a display based on the data; and    updating the display periodically as new data is received periodically via the external network.    
     
     
         38 . The computer program of  claim 34 , wherein the data is received every minute.  
     
     
         39 . The computer program of  claim 34 , wherein formatting comprises: 
 determining if the data indicates that an operational parameter of the device exceeds a preset limit; and    generating a report to a client indicating that the operational parameter exceeds the preset limit.    
     
     
         40 . The computer program of  claim 34 , wherein the external network includes the Internet.  
     
     
         41 . The computer program of  claim 34 , wherein making the formatted data accessible to the client comprises providing a World Wide Web site through which the data can be accessed by the client.  
     
     
         42 . The computer program of  claim 34 , wherein the formatted data is made accessible to a wireless device using wireless application protocol.